The public speaker who wants to win an audience, get buy-in and be memorable has the right intentions. And, in order to be effective one must achieve these goals. Yet, so many people only have a portion of the formula needed to accomplish this. Many strive to show themselves as expert of their content. Good, but not enough. Many realize that it’s not only the content, it’s also the delivery – body language, eye contact, vocal inflection, pitch, etc.. Great! Still, not enough.
The winning formula for public speakers is content+delivery+TRANSPARENCY. Why transparency? When we are actively speaking or presenting, in that moment, we are in a leadership role. There is much written about how transparency in leadership is a winning formula. Revealing our authentic selves builds trust and helps people connect to us.
I shall explain. When a speaker is only trained to impress an audience — content+delivery — s/he is not reaching into the guts of the listeners for an emotional reaction to the message. I don’t care whether the message is about how to change a tire; as public speakers, in order to WOW our listeners and actually make lasting impact, we must be prepared to shed a public persona or any veneer, and reveal ourselves to the point where the audience is seeing what makes us uniquely human.
Hence, REVEAL vs. IMPRESS. But how? Think of yourself as a pistachio nut. You know that inside you are crunchy, sweet and savory. What’s inside the shell is what we want. What’s outside is a protection that cannot be consumed. Imagine you can impress because you have built up your presentation skills (content + delivery). Crack open the shell to reveal the good stuff! Now your audience can digest the best of you.
Here are quick tips to help get you there:
1. Tell a personal story. Let it reveal how you feel about your subject matter and how an experience changed you. Make the story relevant to the audience’s interests and to the point of your presentation. Show humility and gratitude within your area of expertise.
2. Allow your own range of emotions to come through. Be more emphatic than you think you need to be. Dramatize. Show honest frustration, sadness, joy, passion…SHOW that you are moved by what you’re saying. Show a little vulnerability. This adds so much credence to your message and makes you more likable and trustworthy.
3. Do not be self-deprecating. This is usually an unconscious but manipulative action to make people feel sorry for us. The effect is that it lowers the expectations audiences have of the speaker. This doesn’t endear them to us! Be humble and confident (or even act it if you have to!) Confidence is very appealing!
4. State facts and truths (not claims). People who are out to impress say things like, “It’s the greatest!” We’re number one!” They come off as bragging vs. confident. Instead bring evidence to support your points. Use third party sources. REVEAL truths that support your message and fuel the audience’s belief in you. Give the audience a sense of being brought in on what’s real and truthful.
5. Dare to be uncomfortable. As a coach I know that the people who deliver the best speeches or presentations are those who are willing to feel ‘out there’ and unnatural and stretched to the max using the tools of transparency. Make it your duty to be out of your comfort zone. This is important because it subliminally translates to audiences that not only are you quite competent, you are fearless about showing them who you really are: the best pistachio of the bunch.
Speaking from the heart,
Jackie
Copyright, PointMaker Communications, Inc., 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jackie Kellso and PointMaker Communications, Inc., with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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